Have you always wanted to know the best ways to prepare kosher turkey (yes, it is somewhat different than non–kosher preparation), how to select a turkey, the difference between fresh and frozen turkeys, proper size, how to defrost, how to season, roast, carve, serve, stuff, thaw? How to marinate; should you brine—and in what? Which side dishes, salads and desserts work best? Which wine and beer should you pair with turkey? What are the health benefits of eating turkey? What to do with leftovers? Should you freeze? Can you prepare a turkey ahead? What about gravy, etc…

Chef Laura Frankel, Executive Chef at Wolfgang Puck Kosher Catering at the Spertus Institute for Jewish studies in Chicago. Read more about Chef Laura, an avid farmer’s market supporter, who give demos and teaching classes all over the country featuring market produce.

Rubbermaid, For The Kitchen – Organize, Store, Serve. Read more about this amazing company that started out as a maker of toy balloons!

Allen's Inc., Quality Vegetables. Read more about the company that produces 210 kosher certified canned vegetables.

Roast Turkey Tips and Tricks from Chef Avram Wiseman• Wash and dry the turkey very well before roasting.

• Place a cut-up orange and lemon in the cavity. Citrus in the cavity of the turkey lends a beautiful aroma to the bird and cuts the strong flavor of turkey fat. Discard the fruit after the bird is cooked.

• Truss the legs of the turkey. Trussing (tying the legs together with string) allows the bird to cook more evenly.

• I do not recommend salting or peppering the outside of the turkey. Kosher turkeys are, in essence, already brined as part of the kashering process. When you think about it, Jews have been brining their turkeys since we started eating them. In contrast, brining for Thanksgiving turkeys is a relatively recent trend.

• Rub all over with canola oil, not olive. Canola is a high cooking temperature oil and allows for even browning.

• Roast your bird, breast up, in a preheated oven at 450 degrees (convention setting if possible), until it browns (45 minutes to an hour). Then cover the breast and legs with aluminum foil, and turn the oven temperature down to 375 and cook it until it reaches 160 degrees (internal temperature at the thigh). Turkeys cook at a rate of approximately 18 minutes per pound, so a 10 pound turkey takes approximately three hours to cook. Cooking time begins at the time the bird is placed in the oven, not when the temperature is turned down.

• Let the turkey rest for 20 minutes to half an hour before carving, so that the juices can redistribute.

From Cooking.com, How to Carve a Turkey

Rubbermaid For the Kitchen — Organize, Store, Serve Our focus is on Rubbermaid and the kitchen. At Thanksgiving food storage is at the forefront. Cooking ahead, serving and then packaging leftovers is certainly part of holiday cooking.

We particularly like their line of glass containers with easy find lids. (Oh yes, we are always searching for the correct lids for our storage containers!) The Rubbermaid lids are bright red and do stand out in our cabinet. These Rubbermaid storage containers are made from clear, tempered glass, safe for microwave, oven, freezer, dishwasher and they double as servers! The Easy Find Lid organization system makes storage compact. The lids snap to the bottom of the container and to each other to make finding the right lid quick and easy. The containers have a built–in gasket to create a leak proof seal to keep foods fresher, longer.

Canned vegetables are convenient! Although, of course we usually prefer fresh vegetables, cans have a long shelf life and are pantry friendly over the long term. Those cans are always there, sitting “at the ready” in our pantry. We applaud Allens for supplying a wide and excellent variety of canned vegetables for the kosher consumer – many are parve, Star-k certified. The convenience and value can’t be beat. And in some recipes, such as those nostalgic ones such as-green bean casserole, corn casserole, sweet potato pie and “veggie” chopped liver – we admit, we actually prefer our Allens canned veggies to fresh ones. By the way, all of Allens canned goods are gluten–free. For recipes using Allens canned vegetables, please go to Kosher Turkey Talk Recipes. Allens is sharing:

Thanksgiving Cooking Tips:

• Looking to kick things up a notch? Add a can of Allens Hoppin John to your favorite dish this holiday season.

• Substitute your whole sweet potatoes for a can of Allens Princella Sweet Potatoes. They are both nutritious and delicious, and will save you a bundle of time in the kitchen!

• Add a can or bag of Allens products to your meal. Our brands are Star-K certified, which means our products have been designed to fit the needs of the kosher consumer. Go to Allens.com for a complete listing

• Save time and energy when making a big meal by measuring everything out before you start cooking. This is a great time-saver!

• Make Allens your choice for gluten-free foods this holiday season. Add one of our canned products to your recipe this Thanksgiving.

• Tired of the same old roasted turkey? Change things up by using Allens Veg-All canned vegetables as a broth to cook your turkey in. Works great as a topping as well!

• Carefully plan and write out a cooking schedule and timetable. Indicate what can be made ahead of time, what be frozen, and what has to be made last minute.

• Serve up a delicious appetizer by combining your favorite Allens Beans with Tortilla Chips, or use it as a topping for your favorite dish.

Wholly WholesomePies, Pie Shells, Pie Crusts The Wholly Wholesome products are "Wholicious"! The pie shells are parve, OU certified kosher and our pie shell of choice for Thanksgiving. They are organic, delicious, wholesome, convenient and dairy free. We always keep several in the freezer and just fill and bake – couldn't be easier. Doon Wintz, president and founder of Wholly Wholesome has shared his recipe for apple pie.

Doon's Easy Apple Pie Core peel and slice fresh apples; toss with sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg. Place in a Wholly Wholesome pie shell with a few pats of butter or margarine. Invert another shell on top. Crimp edges, slit and bake at 375 for about 50 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. For a shiny finish, brush on a mixture of beaten egg and milk or one part boiling water and 3 parts sugar prior to baking.

7-Ways to Use Wholly Wholesome Pie Crusts This Thanksgiving: • Crumble up a 9” Wholly Wholesome Graham Cracker Pie Crust and use as a topping or sprinkle for your favorite dessert. Tastes great with Strawberry Short Cake.

• Use a pastry cutter and cut a 9” Wholly Wholesome Pie Shell into long, thin strips. Lightly butter them and sprinkle them with cinnamon and sugar. Then simply twist them and bake them at 375ºF until golden brown.

• Roll your leftover shells into an oblong about 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle with grated cheese, pressing it into the dough. Fold into thirds and press it down firmly. Roll into an oblong again and, if desired, sprinkle with your favorite seasoning. With a knife or pastry wheel, cut strips measuring 5" X 1". Twist the strips gently two or three times and place on a cookie sheet, pressing the ends down firmly to secure them. Bake in a preheated hot, 425°F, oven about 10 minutes, or until browned.

• Cut up a 9” Wholly Wholesome Pie Shell and roll into balls. Sprinkle nuts, chocolate chips or another favorite filling as you are rolling. Then sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar or a chocolate drizzle. Bake at 375º until golden brown.

• Line a muffin pan with a 9” Wholly Wholesome Pie Shell and insert apples and cinnamon. Gently fold the tops over and bake at 375º until golden brown. Instant Apple Tarts!

• Cut a Wholly Wholesome Pie Shell in 1/4” thin strips, plait them together and brush them with melted butter. Bake, and then dip one end into chocolate and refrigerate. You can also sprinkle them with powdered sugar for a little extra sweetness!

The turkey roasting pan − Major, major big-time clean-up! But it doesn't have to be if you use Reynolds Wrap® Aluminum Foil (to line the pan) or Reynolds Oven Bags.

Introduced in 1947, as "the pure aluminum foil for 1,001 kitchen miracles", we consider it an indispensible kitchen tool. It is moisture-proof, odor-proof, withstands high heat and can be used to line pans. But best of all, after that turkey comes out of the oven and you have removed the pan dripping—just wad it up and throw it away!

RECIPES, RECIPES, RECIPESWe have a fabulous collection of Thanksgiving recipes from Chefs Avram Wiseman and Laura Frankel, Reynolds Products, Allens Inc. – you are in for a treat! To make it easier for you, we have also included several recipes from our KosherEye.com website. We present everything you need in one place-- and yes, you can ask questions too! How can we help you prepare your most delicious Thanksgiving feast ever? Let us know.